Liverpool goes into the game as the favorites to win owing to their impeccable form which has catapulted them to the top of the league. With the fixture, that has never failed to entertain in the recent times, looming, let’s take a look at the list of players who have played for both the teams.

#6 Nicolas Anelka

Signed from PSG for £ 500,000, Nicolas Anelka was one of the first signings made by the then recently appointed Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in February 1997. After a limited number of appearances in the 1996-97 season, Anelka burst into life the following season after breaking into the first team owing to an injury to the then first choice forward Ian Wright.

He was a key player in the Arsenal’s double-winning season where he scored in the FA cup final against Newcastle United. With 17 goals in the 1998-99 season, Anelka was the Arsenal’s top scorer, claiming the PFA young player of the year award in the process.

Dubbed the ‘Le Sulk’ by the fans for his constant moaning about wanting to leave, Anelka left for Real Madrid in 1999 for £ 22.3 million after scoring 28 goals in 90 games for the Gunners, who went onto sign a certain Thierry Henry in his stead.

Anelka returned to the Premier League with Liverpool in the midst of the 2000-01 season, with the Frenchman joining the Reds on a short-term loan deal. He played 22 games for the Reds, scoring 5 times in the process.

He was instrumental in Liverpool’s late run that culminated in the Anfield outfit finishing second in the league. Anelka left at the end of the season after the Reds’ manager Gerard Houllier didn’t offer him a permanent contract at the end of the season.

#5 Alex Manninger

The now-retired Austrian goalkeeper was signed by Arsene Wenger to provide competition for the legendary David Seaman between the posts during the 1997-98 season. He had to cover for the injured David Seaman and kept 6 consecutive clean sheets in the league campaign, which the Gunners finished as the champions.

Despite the Austrian playing only 7 league games, he received the winner’s medal owing to the fact that his contributions were significant to the team’s championship win.

He went onto win the FA cup in 1998 and FA Community shield in 1998 and 1999 for the Gunners before leaving for Fiorentina on loan during the 2001-02 season. And eventually signing for Sevilla in the subsequent season.

Manninger trained with Liverpool during the summer of 2016 and eventually signed a short-term contract with the Merseyside giants and retired at the end of the season.

#4 Jermaine Pennant

Eyebrows were raised when Arsenal signed Jermaine Pennant from Notts County for £ 2 million, which was the record transfer fee for a trainee at that time. He was the youngest player to feature for the Gunners when he was given his debut against Middlesborough in the League Cup, a record surpassed by Cesc Fabregas and Jack Wilshere in the recent times.

With just 5 starts in 7 years, the winger scored just three goals that have come in a hat-trick against Southampton on his full league debut in 2003. His off-field issues, coupled with poor displays eventually lead to loan spells with Watford, Leeds United and Birmingham before signing on a permanent basis for £ 3 million.

The one-time prodigy signed for Liverpool in the summer of 2006 from Birmingham for £ 6.7 million. He spent 3 years with the Reds, featuring in 81 games and scoring 3 league goals in the process before being loaned to Portsmouth.

#3 Kolo Toure

The two-time invincible was signed ASEC Mimosas for £ 150,000 in 2002 after a short trial during which he tackled Arsene Wenger in a training session! After starting as a defensive midfielder and right-back in his first season, the Ivory Coast international was a regular at the heart of the defense alongside Sol Campbell during the 2003-04 season that is forever etched into the hearts of Arsenal’s fans as the Gunners captured the league title without losing a game in the entirety of the season.

Toure was instrumental in the Gunners’ Champions League run that culminated in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Barcelona in the final. He was instrumental in the run where the Gunners kept 10 clean sheets, which remains a competition record even today.

With 326 games for the Gunners, he moved to Manchester City in 2009 for £ 14 million after repeated bust-ups with William Gallas.

The Ivorian joined Liverpool on a free transfer after his contract with Manchester City expired in 2013. Toure has played 71 games for the Merseyside team that finished as the runner-up in the Europa League in 2015-16. He was released by Liverpool at the end of the season following which he had another invincible season at Celtic.

#2 Yossi Benayoun

Arguably the greatest Israeli football player, Yossi Benayoun was signed from West Ham United for £ 5 million in 2007 under controversial circumstances. Knowing for his ability to open compact defenses with his intricate style of play, Benayoun had a highly successful first season at Anfield with 11 goals in 48 games including a hat-trick against Besiktas in the Champions League.

2009 was a memorable year for the Israeli as he scored the winner against Real Madrid in the Champions League at Santiago Bernabeu. He finished the season with 9 goals in 39 games. He remains the only player to have scored a hat-trick in the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.

Having signed for Chelsea in a £ 5.5 million deal in 2010, Benayoun played for the Gunners on a yearlong loan deal in 2011. He scored 4 goals in 19 appearances while captaining the side once.

#1 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

After rising to prominence with Southampton, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain secured a dream move to Arsenal in 2011 for £ 12 million aged 17. Blessed with blistering pace and versatility, the teenager was predominantly used as a winger, whose league debut was an 8-2 drubbing at the hands of Manchester United. He became the youngest Englishman to score in the Champions League following his goal against Olympiacos in 2011.

With 20 goals in 198 appearances for Arsenal, the youngster won 3 FA cups and 3 Community Shields with the Gunners before moving to Liverpool on a £ 35 million deal in 2017 days after playing for Arsenal at Anfield. Chamberlain’s desire to play as a midfielder was a major factor in his move away from Emirates.

After a slow start at Anfield, the youngster emerged as the vital cog in the Liverpool’s outstanding 2017-18 season where the Merseyside team emerged as the runner-ups in the Champions League. The Englishman suffered a long-term injury in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Manchester City and has been ruled out for the 2018-19 season.

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